Oil catcher and discharger for a vehicle



W. G. COLGAN Filed NOV. 4, 1957 OIL CATCHER AND DISCHARGER FOR A VEHICLE Filllllllollil Aug. 11, 1959 TIE-.l-

IILL.

INVENTOR:

WILLIAM G- COLGAN ATTORNEYS United States, Patent Ofiice 2,899,019 Patented Aug. 11, 1 959;.

The presentinvent-ion relates: to improvements in an oil catcher and discharger for a'vehicle; and'itconsists:

of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed." It has par ticular reference to improvements over the oil-catching receptacle with speed-controlled oil-discharger attachmen-t for automobiles, as shown in my copending application Serial No. 584,016, filed in the United States Patent-Office on May l95 6 now- Patent-No; 2,841,- 245, dated July 1, 1-95 8') In the -above-identified copending application, 1' dis-- close a; receptacle that is ad-aptedto be attached to the clutch pan of an automobile to catch, dripping -ofi oil; This oil a is retained in the receptacle until i the automobile has attained a predetermined speed at which time the accumulated oil is discharged onto the roadwaya. As

illustrated therein, the receptacle defines a wind-tunnel passagewaythrough which air will flow, as the automobile is advanced, with the air picking up the oil for discharge upon the-roadway.

Although the device shown-in the above-mentioned copending application is admirably adapted for use in the average climate, it has been found frompracticethat when his used in cold climates, snow and moistureeentening the wind-tunnel will freeze therein. This will pre vent the discharge ofthe oil ontothe roadway.

Accordingly, and as the principal 1 object of the present invention, it is proposed to provide arr-all weather-oil catcher and discharger fora vehicle. Briefly =stated, 'itis: proposed to utilize a swingahly mounted recept-acle having a-sump therein, positioned to receive .oil draining from the housing of a component of a vehicle powerplant. This receptaclesis swingableintoa'posi'tionto discharge accumulated oil there'from (smo the -roadway; In order'that thereceptacle willibe moved into-oil dis'- charging posit-ion, it is providedwith a portion against which wind wilh strike with sullicient' 'foree' when the vehicle :has attained a 1 predetermined --speed, to swingthe receptacle into a position to automatically discharge the accumulated oil, Until this speed has been attained, the receptacle is'retained ina'positiomto hold' the oil.

Other objects and;advantagestwilltappearsas the specificationproceeds. The novel featureswill be sekforth in the claims; hereunto appended, 1

Drawings should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a conventional clutch pan, and disclosing my oil catcher and discharger mounted therebeneath, parts being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the oil catcher and discharger; and

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 1.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the; annexed'claims without departing fromthe spirit-thereof,

Detailed description Referring to the drawing, it will be noted that Ihave discloseda-conventionalclutch pan A, wh-ichis fashioned with an outlet opening 10 in its lower wall 11. It is Well known that a small quantity ofoil' B will accumulate in the bottom Qfthepan- Althoughthe op eni ng,= 10 is normally closed b.y-a plug 12,.some ofthe oil may leak; out and will droponto the garage floor, or upon the: street when the automobile is parked. While I havespe cifically mentioned a clutch pan, it. will be apparent that thesame-@situationmay apply to the housing of agcom ponent of avehicles ower. p ant.

My oil catcher and discharger is designated. generally-- at C in the-drawing, It includes a supporting frame whichmay be secured beneath the pan or housing; A byany suitable means soas,tosurroundthev opening 10., For this purpose, I have shown a plurality of permanent magnets, 1-4. which are accommodated in. grooves Iii fashioned in the upper surface; of the supporting frame D: and-fixed to, the latter; V

M reov rr he ilc t er and di arger C include aswingably-mounted receptacle E which is carriedby-the frame D, and having; ,a-sump E1. The latter is posi tioned to receive oildraining through the opening 1 0,, thereby accumulatinga bodyof'oil B in: the; sump. The receptacle Ehashorizontal,,trunnions 16 that are jonn nalled in bearings (seer-Figure 3:); The lattenare providediin: adepending wall; IFSuforming part of {the sup, porting frame D. Also, the-supporting frame ,is, provided-2 with a; drain, chute D! that surrounds the opening 10. 'll'hisgdraingehuteis located to direct the oilfrom the;

opening;.1,.0;to' the-sump- -E of, thezreceptacle.

The direction ofthe forward movement of the-=vehicl'e, iSyiIldiQfitCd IY thearrow lfi imFigure 1.. It Wlllnbez 21p.- parent fromnthe' drawing thatthe. depending wall 18.ex.- tends alongboth, lateral sides of the receptacle Eland; across the training end of the latter, the forward end, 18 of this wall being left open for the purpose hereinafter -dmcribed,,- seegliignre 1. I

- In its structural details, the receptacle: E: has an iinv cliued bottom. ztlaandside' walls 21.. Asclearly shown; in-.-Figur,e 3,, the si, walls. 21: of. thereceptacle- E-are disposed inwardly: relative to. thepposi lateral. det-. pending; wall 118? t of; the, supporting,- frame 5- D, Ihusthe: dep ndin wall 1.8% pr vides. a protective; shroud 'tar un i part- :of v the receptaclefli, b uti leaving: the: forwardopor-i ticn'nof the-recepi cle exposed totthe:Madrasug sted; byzthe arrow 23.: in;Hig urerl.v

wwhenzthe rec ptacl E;is-.-disnosed in anion-re ai ng ncs ionras .showniby th full 1inesi ntEi ure;1- ,-theldeeper portion of the sump E is disposedahead-ofjhe: trimenions 16, wherebythe; weight Of. ,theaccumulated? oil 38' will, tend; to: swing; the 1 receptacle. into, itsoil-retaining position M re r, t ewr ertac i p v e w t-h e: counterweight 24,, ahead of the trunnions 16 so p to:

I tend to depress forwafd po io sn 0f ll flfifihts l For a better understanding of my invention, reference After the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed, the wind 23 will strike the forward portion 22 of the receptacle with suflicient force to swing the receptacle E into the dot-dash line position shown in Figure 1. At this time, the accumulated oil B will be discharged over the trailing end 25 of the receptacle onto the roadway. The swinging movement of the trailing end of the receptacle from its full-line position into its dot-dash line position is indicated by the arrow 26 in Figure 1.

It will be noted that the drain chute D is disposed to constitute a limit stop, when the receptacle is swung in one direction about the trunnions 16 into an oil-retaining position. The supporting frame D has a section 27 that is disposed to constitute a limit stop, when the receptacle E is swung in the opposite direction, that is, into an oil-discharging position.

The forward part of the supporting frame D is provided with a baffie 28, which extends transversely across the frame D, and this baffie is arranged to substantially preclude the wind 23 from gaining access to the sump E of the receptacle. The forward portion 22 of the receptacle E defines a lip 29, which substantially contacts with the batfie 28 as the receptacle swings up and down.

Summary of operation Assuming that the oil catcher and discharger C has been installed beneath the clutch pan A in the manner shown in Figure 1, the operations thereof may be briefly summarized as follows:

When the vehicle is parked or standing in a garage, any of the oil B in the bottom of this pan that may drip through the opening will be directed by the drain chute D into the sump E of the swingably mounted receptacle E. This accumulated oil is designated at B. The weight of the accumulated oil B and the counterweight 24 will hold the receptacle E in the full-line position illustrated in Figure 1. Thus the accumulated oil B will be prevented from draining onto the floor of the garage or onto the street.

However, as soon as the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed, the wind 23 striking the exposed forward portion 22 of the receptacle E will operate to lift the forward part of the receptacle and thus swing the receptacle into the dot-dash line position shown in Figure 1. At this time, the accumulated oil B will be discharged over the trailing end 25 of the receptacle onto the roadway. Of course, when the vehicle slows down or is parked again, the receptacle E will automatically re turn to its oil-retaining position.

The lip 29 of the forward portion 22 of the receptacle E is protected by the bafiie 28, when the force of the air has swung the receptacle into a position for draining the oil therefrom. This prevents ice, snow, water or mud from being scooped up by the receptacle, while the vehicle moves over the road. It is impossible, therefore, for the receptacle E to become clogged with foreign matter.

' I claim:

1. In an oil catcher and discharger for a vehicle: a supporting frame mounted beneath an opening in a housing of a component of a vehicle power plant; and a swingably-mounted receptacle disposed within and being carried by said frame and having a sump positioned to receive oil draining through the opening in the housing; the receptacle being swingable into a position to discharge accumulated oil therefrom onto a roadway over which the vehicle may travel; the receptacle hav ing an exposed forward portion against which wind will strike with sufficient force, when the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed, to swing the receptacle into oil-discharging position.

2. The oil catcher and discharger, as defined in claim 1; and in which the supporting frame defines a depending wall which is located to provide a protective shroud around part of the receptacle, but leaving said forward portion of the receptacle exposed to the wind.

4 3. The oil catcher and discharger, as defined in claim 2; and in which the forward part of the supporting frame is provided with a baffie that is arranged to substantially preclude the wind from gaining access to the sump of the receptacle.

4. In an oil catcher and discharger for a vehicle: a supporting frame mounted beneath an opening in a housing of a component of a vehicle power plant; and a swingably-mounted receptacle disposed within and being carried by said frame and having a sump positioned to receive oil draining through the opening in the housing; the receptacle being swingable into a position to discharge accumulated oil therefrom onto a roadway over which thevehicle may travel; the receptacle having an exposed forward portion against which wind will strike with sufiicient force, when the vehicle has attained a predetermined speed, to swing the receptacle into oildischarging position; the supporting frame being provided with a drain chute, which surrounds the opening in the housing; the drain chute being located to direct the oil from said opening to the sump of the receptacle; the drain chute being disposed to constitute a limit stop, when the receptacle is swung in one direction; and the supporting frame having a section disposed to constitute a limit stop, when the receptacle is swung in the opposite direction.

. 5. In an oil catcher and discharger for a vehicle: a supporting frame mounted beneath an opening provided in a housing of a component of a vehicle power plant; a

receptacle disposed within said frame and having horizontal trunnions journalled in the supporting frame; the receptacle having an inclined bottom defining a sump; the sump being positioned to receive oil draining through an opening in the housing; the receptacle having a deeper portion which is disposed ahead of the trunnions, whereby the Weight of the accumulated oil therein will tend to swing the receptacle into oil-retaining position; the receptacle being swingable on the trunnions into a position to discharge the accumulated oil over a trailing end of the receptacle onto a roadway over which the vehicle may travel; the receptacle having a forward portion against which wind will strike with sufficient force, when the vehiclehas attained a predetermined speed, to lift the forward part of the receptacle and swing the receptacle into oil discharging position.

6.-The oil catcher and discharger for a vehicle, as defined in claim 5;v and in which the receptacle is provided with a counterweight forward of the trunnions that is disposed to urge the receptacle into oil-retaining position.

7. The oil catcher and discharger, as defined in claim 5; and in which the forward part of the supporting frame is provided with a depending bafile that overlaps the forward portion of the receptacle sufficiently at all times to preclude ice, snow, water or mud from being scooped up by the receptacle, while the vehicle moves forwardly over the roadway.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 828,896 Muir Aug. 21, 1906 1,589,883 Herrmann June 22, 1926 

